David Myhr is back with a single release featuring cover versions of two classic songs from his own childhood record collection, records that were spinning on his turntable and in his head when he first started out writing pop music.

The A-side features his own inimitable take on Elvis Costello’s 1989 classic “Veronica”, recorded for Myhr’s contribution to the recently released American compilation “Beyond Belief: A tribute to Elvis Costello“. Other contributors included Matthew Sweet, The Rubinoos and Lojinx label mate Mike Viola. The highly recommended compilation is out on Spyder Records and the proceedings goes to charity.

“Veronica” was co-written with Paul McCartney and Myhr declares it his favourite Costello song in no small part influenced by his life-long obsession with The Beatles.

Though “Veronica” was Costello’s most successful song in the US it has so far been covered by very few artists (we believe this is the first time that a cover version finds its way out onto Spotify).

The digital release includes B-side tune “Oh Susie”, the debut single from 1979 by the Swedish new wave/pop band “Secret Service”. Myhr says:

“It was evening sun in my old home town Piteå in the north of Sweden. I was eighteen and cruising around in my first car when this song first came on the radio. It immediately struck a chord with me. Its melancholy seemed to me to have an almost Harrison-esque vibe. I found out it was from a Swedish band from the seventies called Secret Service and we used to include it in our otherwise sixties dominated cover repertoire. The singer Ola Håkansson had been a star already in the sixties with Ola & The Janglers and later became, and still is, a legendary music business mogul. It was he who first gave my former band The Merrymakers our first record deal.”

The original has a distinct disco flavor but David Myr’s version perhaps gives it a more timeless appeal.

The Lost Brothers are returning from triumphant US tour with Glen Hansard and SXSW shows to immediately head back out on the road with a string of dates supporting Stornoway in the UK & Ireland. Prefaced with Liverpool Acoustic Festival and Shepherd’s Bush Empire with St. Paul and The Broken Bones, the band continue to support their new album New Songs Of Dawn And Dust.

time stopped
when you said hello
when you left
the clock began to breathe again
now all I do is think about
the puzzle that remains

your name it is unpronounceable
distorted and illegible
I never figured out what that was
If I couldn’t then I doubt I ever will

rewind the tape, review the blur
never the same, but still obscure
turn up the sound and hear the white noise
zoom and enhance if that were even a
real thing
which it isn’t
stare at the static long enough you’ll
be hypnotized be hypnotized

now I spend
my days and nights
looking at
a depression on the sofa
and over time it flattens out
but I am still depressed

your name it is unpronounceable
distorted and illegible
I never figured out what that was
If I couldn’t then I know I never will

rewind the tape, review the blur
never the same, but still obscure
turn up the sound and hear the white noise
stare at the static and be hypnotized

found
found your sound
wound down and nearly drowned
lying on the ground